Process of treating woven textile fabric with a vinyl chloride polymer



United States Patent PROCESS OF TREATFNG WOVEN TEXTILE FABRIC WITH A ViNYL CHLORIDE PQLYMER NathanJ. Brown, Village of Barrington, 11!.

No Drawing. Filed Mar. 5, 1956, Ser. No. 569,268

2 Claims. ((31. 117fl13) Woven nylon fabric plasticizer heated to a temperature of 120 to 140 F.

I Fabric retained in heated solution 2 to seconds.

Dried 140 F. to 160 F.

It is well known that many efforts have been made to treat fabrics with various resin condensates to impart waterproof or water repellent qualities and to make them crease resistant, but such efforts have not been very successful. Aldehydes, carbamides and derivatives of carbamides have been tried but it was found that these materials reduced the elasticity of elongation with resultant weakness and brittleness of fibre.

The use of urea formaldehyde, ketone formaldehyde, melamine form-aldehyde and similar resins has also been tested but these, too, have been generally unsatisfactory. These materials produce a film which is unstable as to color, also, the degree of crease resistance of the treated material varied with the amount of resin applied and if sufiicient'resin was deposited on the fabric to impart the desired crease resistant properties, the fabric became so stiif and loss of tear strength was so great as to render the fabric unusable. Furthermore, the application of these resins required highly skilled labor and technical supervision because satisfactory results could only be achieved when the resin was in true solution in the A stage and partly in the B stage. The determination of when such stage is reached is critical and a matter for trained supervision. If too little condensation occurred, the treated fabric did not require the desired properties and if too much condensation was permitted, the fabric was stiff and unsuitable.

The use of vinyl resin condensates has been exten- Immersed in solution of polyvinyl chloride, a volatile solvent and a i sively tried. In order to produce a vinyl coating having ice ing the film brittle. Moreover, the vinyl coating would become tacky and sticky at elevated temperatures and the use of wax to overcome this condition prevented the formation of a satisfactory bond with subsequent peeling of the film.

A great deal of difficulty was encountered in coating nylon fabrics. It is well 'known that little aflinity exists between nylon and polyvinylchloride. Bonding could be obtained only by the mechanical anchoring of the polyvinyl composition in the fibres of the nylon fabric. Practice has shown that when vinyl condensate is permitted to penetrate into the fibres, such fibres are weakened and tear strength is reduced, consequently, in the prior art the polyvinyl chloride coatings were caused to adhere to the nylon fabric by pretreating the fabric with various anchoring agents.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a polyvinyl chloride coated fabric which is waterproof, nOn-crushing and non-creasing but which is soft to the touch, pleasing in appearance and retains the abil ity to be properly draped and tailored.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a polyvinyl chloride coated fabric which has an identical appearance on both of its sides, which is waterproof, soft and flexible and which has the ability to retain its softness and flexibility for an extended and indefinite period.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a polyvinyl chloride coated fabric which is identical in appearance on both of its faces, which is water proof and crease resistant yet remains flexible and soft to the touch over an extended and indefinite period without loss of tear strength and impact resistance.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved and novel method of coating textiles, including nylon fabrics, with a polyvinyl chloride composition without any pretreatment of the fabric with an anchoring agent.

A further object is to provide a method of treating textiles whereby they are rendered waterproof and crease resistant Without loss of tear or sew line strength.

These and other important objects are achieved by the following invention.

It has been discovered that these objects may be achieved when a textile fabric is passed rapidly through a polyvinyl chloride coating composition containing high boiling ketone and toluene solvents and rapidly dried in a heating chamber. The rapid passage of the fabric through the composition and the heating chamber inhibits penetration of the fibre but completely fills the interstices between the fibres thus enclosing each of the fibres in its own protective polyvinyl envelope without the fibres themselves being affected in any way by the composition. The polyvinyl contained in the interstices between the fibres anchors the coating, forming a tenacious and enduring bond with the fabric and no pretreatment of the fabric or the use ofany anchoring agents is necessary. Because the composition is not permitted to penetrate into the fibres there is no loss in tear or impact strength or any fibre deterioration and it has been found that by reason of the protection afforded to the fibres, each in its own polyvinyl envelope, the life of the fabric itself is extended and its tear and inpact strength are actually increased.

The appearance of the fabric itself is not changed by the treatment unless color pigment is used in the composition, as hereinafter set forth, nor is its original softness and lustre visibly affected. However, the treated fabric is rendered waterproof and endowed with crease possess before treatment.

While any proper and well known synthetic resin composition may be used in practising the novel method above described, it is preferred'to use a plasticized solu- 7 tion of polyvinyl chloride.

'Such solutions have been difficult to controlibecause' of the problem of plasticizer migration. It; iswell known that loss of plasticizer renders. the coating brittle and causes cracking. It. has been found that a hotsolution of vinyl chloride, methyl ethyl ketone and tolu'e'ne,.formulated with two'or more plasticizersin propenratiospwill provide a condensate wherein the plasticizingproperties remain stable. and. not fugitive and the treated fabric. will retain forextended and indefinite periods its original. softness, flexibility and finish with respect tolustre, and

color.

The invention will be illustrated, in greater detail: by the following specific examplesalthough it should be understood that these examples are given primarily for the purpose of illustration and that theinvention, in its.

broader aspects, is not limited thereto. Throughouh. all

percentages of the. various compositions arev expressed on a weight; basis.

' Examplel A Woven nylon fabric having a thread count of'52 x 30 was treated with the following composition.

' Percentage Copolymer of vinylchlon'de andvinyl acetate in the ratio of approximately 96 parts ofvinyl chloride The above composition was heated and maintained at a temperature of 120 F. to 140 F. at which temperature it was extremely fluid. The nylon fabric was passed once through the fluid composition in two to five seconds and through a drying chamber heated to approximately 140 F. to 160 F. in thirty to forty-fiveseconds where the volatilecomponents were'evaporated. Upon emerging fromthe drying chamber, the treated" material was dry; enough to be rolled and was coated on both sides with a highly elastic non-shrinkingfilm. it retained its original flexibility and softness, was completely waterproof, crease resistant and had crease recovery properties. Exposure to temperatures varying from 20 F. to 150 F. for long periods showed no loss of flexibility or softness, no tackines's or stickiness and there was no visible loss of tear strength or waterproof properties. 7 suitable for its intended uses, such as rainwear of all kinds, shower curtains, tarpaul-ins, water protective coverings, life rafts, etc.

Example 2 was found to be particularly suitable for womens and.

childrens colored rainwear garments.

Example 3 A loosely woven saran fabric was treated in the. same manner as stated in Example 1 except that the vinyl -chlo- It remained The.

V l A 4 ride monomer was omitted. The formula for the coating composition was as follows:

Percentage Copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate in the ratio of approximately 96 parts of vinyl chloride,

This-composition was also heated and maintained at a temperature of F. to F. Thematerial was'again passed once through the fluid composition within a period of from three to five seconds and then immediately passed through the heated drying chamber in thirty to fortyfive seconds. It was dry when it emerged from the chamber. The intersticesbetween the fibres of this fabric were much larger than those of the material treated in Example 1 but1thecomposition had completely filled these interstices. and the. coating, was firmly bonded to the fabric. Thetreated material was tough but softlandl flexible and suited for' its intended use such as glass substitute for windows, chicken houses hot houses and the like. A piece of the treated material wasfitted into a window in place of glass and subjected to the elements for almost .a year Without any visible deterioration.

Example 4 A woven cotton fabric having a thread: count of 80 x 80 was treated with the-following composition.

Percentage Copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate in the ratio of. approximately 96 parts of. vinyl The material was treated in exactly the same manner as described inExample 1 and produced the sameresults. The treated material was soft, flexible and waterproof and was found, suitable for use as tablecloths and the like.

Woolen and viscose fabrics were also treated with the composition of Example :4 andwere found suitable for use as;drap eries, seat coverings, furniture coverings and the like.

From the examples above given, it is clear that any kind of material maybe treated by the method of the present invention with satisfactoryresults. The coating on the'treated material acts to prevent deterioration of the fabric and does not impair its strength. No pretreatment of the materialis required nor is calendering or washing after treating necessary and the novel method herein disclosed is fast and relatively inexpensive as compared with prior art methods.

While the present invention has been explained and described with reference to specific examples; it will be understood, nevertheless, that numerous modification and variation is suceptible of being incorporated without departure from the essential spirit or scope thereofo Accordingly, it is not intended for an understanding of this invention to be limited by the foregoing description nor by the examples given except as indicated .by the here; inafter appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patentof the United States is as follows:

1. A process for treatinga woven nylontextile fabric 7 which comprises immersingsaid fabric for. a periodof between 120 and 140 F, having the following approximate composition in parts by weight:

Percentage Copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate in the ratio of approximately 96 parts by weight of vinyl chloride and 4 parts by weight of vinyl acetate thereafter removing the fabric from said solution and heating it to a temperature between 140 and 160 F. for a period of to seconds whereby to volatilize the volatile constituents of the solution on said fabric and form the desired product.

2. A process of treating woven textile fabrics which comprises immersing said fabric for a period of only between 2 and 5 seconds in a solution heated to between and B, said solution containing polyvinyl chloride, a volatile solvent for said polyvinyl chloride and a plasticizer whereby when said fabric is immersed in said heated solution, the said solution penetrates the interstices between the fabric fibres but does not imprege nate said fibres, thereafter heating the said treated fabric to a temperature between 140 and F. to volatilize the volatile constituents of the solution on said fabric to form the desired product.

5 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,050,156 Borghetty Aug. 4, 1936 10 2,302,332 Leekley Nov. 17, 1942 2,606,845 Van Etten Aug. 12, 1952 2,624,718 Bezman et a1 Jan. 6, 1953 2,653,892 Gentle et a1 Sept. 29, 1953 2,665,262 Rolle et a1 Jan. 5, 1954 15 2,719,803 Noltebohn Oct. 4, 1955 2,725,309 Rodman Nov. 29, 1955 2,772,181 Rogers et a1 Nov. 27, 1956 2,779,743 Schwencke Ian. 29, 1957 2,868,675 Ljungbo Jan. 13, 1959 20 2,930,106 Wrotnowski Mar. 29, 1960 OTHER REFERENCES Zimmerman et al.: Compounding of a Polyvinyl Chloride, Rubber Age, vol. 68, No. 3, pp. 311-18, Decem- 5 her 1950.

Bromstead et al.: Vinyl Resins, Paint, Oil and Chemical Review, pages 22 et aL, October 23, 1952. 

2. A PROCESS OF TREATING WOVEN TEXTILE FABRICS WHICH COMPRISES IMMERSING SAID FABRIC FOR A PERIOD OF ONLY BETWEEN 2 AND 5 SECONDS IN A SOLUTION HEATED TO BETWEEN 120* AND 150*F., SAID SOLUTION CONTAINING POLYVINYL CHLORIDE, A VOLATILE SOLVENT FOR SAID POLYVINYL CHLORIDE AND A PLASTICIZER WHEREBY WHEN SAID FABRIC IS IMMERSED IN SAID HEATED SOLUTION, THE SAID SOLUTION PENETRATES THE INTERSTICS BETWEEN THE FABRIC FIBERS BUT DOES NOT IMPREGNATE SAID FIBRES, THEREAFTER HEATING THE SAID TREATED FABRIC TO A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 140* AND 160*F. TO VOLATILIZE THE VOLATILE CONSITTUENTS OF THE SOLUTION ON SAID FABRIC TO FORM THE DESIRED PRODUCT. 